Franklin Police Department - Franklin Police Department

Vacation Safety Tips

Franklin Police Department Vacation Safety Tips

Now that the spring is here and summer is just around the corner, many people are beginning to plan a vacation. Amazingly it is once again the time of year when high schools and colleges are taking their spring break, which marks the official countdown to the end of the school year. With this in mind, the Franklin Police Department wants to ensure that your vacationing plans are safe throughout the entire trip.

It is important that when you are packing your bags to only take valuables with you that will be needed during your trip. Most have heard horror stories of someone having something important being stolen while on vacation. Sadly criminals often target tourists because they know that most have things of value with them, whether it be a camera to capture memories, a computer or telephone to keep in touch with friends and family or the hard earned vacation cash. For the valuable items that are a must for your travel plans, make sure that you have a detailed description of the item, including the serial number. This will assist law enforcement in recovery efforts in the event they are taken.

Now that your bags are packed you need to ensure that your vehicle is ready for the road trip. Summer heat can be hard on our vehicle so before you leave home, inspect your vehicle’s fluids, tires, belts, wipers and lights to avoid accidents or breakdowns. If you aren’t sure of the proper method of inspection, a vehicle owner’s manual can assist you in the pre-trip inspection or allow a mechanic to do the review for you. It is typically best to travel during the daytime hours, so that if you encounter a mechanical failure you can easily locate a repair shop that is open. While traveling be aware of your surroundings and plan your route in advance so that you don’t become lost or in locations that are unsafe.

When you arrive at your destination but before you begin to enjoy that well earned vacation make sure that you secure all belonging. This begins when you leave your car in the parking lot by ensuring that items left inside are not exposed to criminals and that your doors are locked. If your room is equipped with a security safe, make sure you lock your valuables inside and set your code, if the design of the safe allows you to do so. If you have extra car keys and room keys allow a responsible individual traveling with you to take possession of them in case you become accidentally locked out. Last, but most importantly is to use common sense throughout your entire trip. Don’t enter areas that seem unsafe and not tourist friendly, avoid going out alone and research the areas you plan to visit to make sure they do not have a history of bad service or false advertisement. This research can be done on numerous reliable websites, through your booking agent or at a welcome center at your vacation destination.

“These safety tips are only a few that we encourage you to follow to ensure that you have a vacation filled with positive memories. Knowledge is power, so conduct research in advance so that you don’t encounter any avoidable surprises during your travel or stay, stated Chief Kevin Hannah.”